Wrench



E. W. GROGAN.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED) APR-29, 1920.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

INVENTOR.

UNITED sTAr .s s ij a rsNT orFicE.

EDWARD w. enosan, or cnannnnon. rnxns.

WRENCH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD GRoeAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clarendon, in the county of Donley and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in renches, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches of the sliding jaw type.

An important object of this invention 1s to provide a wrench having novel means whereby the same may be readily and conveniently secured in an adjusted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the sliding jaw and traveling fulcrum type having novel means whereby the grip of the jaws on the work is strengthened as the pressure applied to the handle is increased.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the class described which is of highly simplified construction, eliicient in use and cheap tomanufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved wrench, i

Fig. 2 is a central vertical. longitudinal section through the same.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 generally designates the stock of a wrench which as illustrated, is provided with a stationary jaw 6 at its forward end. A second jaw 7 is provided with an opening 8 slidably re ceiving the shank or stock 5 of the wrench. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 2, one wall of the opening 8 is provided with a transverse groove 10 which receives a transversely extending tooth 12 having its eX- posed portion pointed and engaging a plurality of transverse teeth 14 formed on the rear side of the shank 5. It will be noted that the transversely extending locking tooth or strip 12 is triangular in cross section and is securely held within the groove 10 by engagement with the undercut side walls of said groove. The wall of the opening 8 opposite the transversely extending tooth 12 is inclined longitudinally, as indl- Specification of Letters Patent. .Pttfllltfitl Mar. .22, 1921.

Application filed April 29, i

1920. Serial No. 377,594.

cated at 15, to a point rearwardly of said tooth 12 so as to form a shoulder 16 which,

curved arm 18 is formed integral with the movable jaw 7 and is provided with a rectangular sleeve 20 which slidably receives the shank 5 and is considerably greater in interior dimension than the width of the shankso that the sleeve may partake of a limited transverse movement with relation to the shank. The rear portion of the arm l8 is normally held in contact with the adacent longitudinal edge of the shank 5 by a longitudinally curved leaf spring 22 secured to the opposite side of the sleeve 20 by a rivet 24 or other suitable fastening means.

When it is desired to adjust the movable jaw along the shank 5, it is merely necessary to press the rear side of the sleeve 20 i11- wardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the forward portion of the jaw is moved transversely of the shank whereby the locking tooth 12 is removed from engagement with the teeth 14. As the side of the sleeve having the longitudinally curved leaf spring is moved inwardly, the shoulder 26 rearwardly of the tooth 12 is employed as a fulcrum. When the sleeve 20 is manually moved transversely of the shank, the rearwardly extending arm 18 does not interfere with its movement since the same has its central portion spaced from the shank.

The jaw 7 may be limited in its movement longitudinally of the shank by a stop element which may be in the form of a screwbolt. As the jaw 7 is moved rearwardly the stop element 25 is engaged by the rear side of the jaw 7 so that the re moval of the jaw from the shank without first removing the stop element, is rendered impossible.

With reference to the foregoing description. it will be noted that the grip exerted by the jaws upon engaging a bolt or other piece of work is strengthened as the pressure applied to the handle of the shank is increased. This is accounted for by the fact that the transverse tooth 12 is more tightly drawn into engagement with the teeth 14. Then the movable jaw is adjusted to the desired place on the shank and the pressure removed from the spring 22, the jaw automatically locks itself and is firmly held in place when brought into engagement with a nut. It will be noted also that a wrench constructed in accordance with this invention is capable of a variety oi? adjustments and may be conveniently and readily engaged with nuts and the like.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A wrench comprising a shank having one edge smooth and provided along a portion of its opposite edge with transverse teeth, a stationary jaw at one end of the shank extending from the smooth edge thereof, a movable jaw having an opening there through to receive the shank, the wall of the said opening presented to the teeth on the shank carrying atooth near the working face of the jaw to interengage with the teeth on the shank and the opposite wall of said opening being inclined toward the smooth edge of the shank from the working face ol the jaw to the back thereof and defining a shoulder at the back of the jaw slidably engaging the shank and upon which the jaw may rock. an arm extending from said shoulder and having a fiat portion at its free end bearing upon the smooth edge of the shank, a sleeve extending from the free end of said arm around the shank and having a length interiorly greater than the width of the shank. and a spring carried by said sleeve and bearing upon the shank whereby the fiat portion of said arm is normally held against the smooth edge of the shank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD W. GROGAN. 1.. S 

